Image Credit- AFP
When New Zealand
travels to the subcontinent later in the year to play Afghanistan, Sri Lanka,
and India in Test matches, Tim Southee has acknowledged there’s no certainty he
will captain the team.
After a devastating three-wicket defeat to Australia in Christchurch, Southee
looked forlorn. Despite having Australia 34 for 4 and 80 for 5 while defending
278 wickets, New Zealand was unable to complete the task as Pat Cummins,
Mitchell Marsh, and Alex Carey led the visitors home.
As a result, New
Zealand’s 13-year losing skid in Test matches against Australia is expected to
continue, while their 31-year home losing streak against their neighbour will
end forever as there is currently no planned tour.
Before his 100th Test at Hagley Oval, Southee said he had not taken the wickets
he would have hoped to take, putting his own form under close scrutiny. Even
though Matt Henry, Ben Sears, and Will O’Rourke all bowled admirably the entire
series, he only took four wickets.
Southee captained New Zealand’s most recent Tests in Bangladesh last year when
they only picked two seamers and he is aware that his position is vulnerable.
“We’ll see,” Southee said. “Obviously you go to Asia, the
make-up of the side changes slightly with spin becoming the main threat in that
part of the world. But we’ll see when we get there. We’ll deal with this
tonight and look to move forward to what’s to come.”
Southee denied his
side had a mental block against Australia but he couldn’t put his finger on why
they continued to struggle in the crunch moments against them.
“I’m not too sure,” Southee said. “They’re a tough side to beat,
not only in Australia, but when they travel as well.
“I think when you play the best you’ve got to be at your best for those
periods, that little bit longer. We had moments through both Test matches where
we could have been a little bit better at times and then things could have been
slightly different. But it was just another great Test and there’s been plenty
of those over the last few years.”